Where do chinchillas live?

Chinchillas live throughout the Andes Mountains and prefer to live in the highest areas of the mountain as well as inside of hidden rock fractures. They are a communal animal and live in communities of two to three chinchillas to larger communities of 100+ chinchillas.

The chinchilla is also kept as a pet by some people who prefer exotic pets and these chinchillas are kept in cages. Chinchillas can be difficult to keep as pets, however, because they are nocturnal animals and stay up all night. They also make a lot of noise when they are up and are very active. The chinchilla species is endangered in the wild though because of ongoing habitat destruction and illegal hunting for the chinchilla's skin.